I Will Never Forget You
by Daktasinsanity
Summary: Eren has been dreaming of his true love every since he was a small kid. As the years go by, his memories start to fade. Levi takes matters into his own hands and decides that he won't give up on Eren until the young man remembers him once again.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **I found this from my hard drive and decided to post this... just for fun.

* * *

**I Will Never Forget You**

* * *

"Mummy!" a six-year-old Eren Jäger ran towards his mother, who swooped him into her arms. "I saw a dream of him last night," Eren said brightly.

"Ooh, you did?" Carla asked, smiling happily down at her son.

"Yeah, when I grow up I'm gonna find him and marry him," Eren said vigorously.

Carla ruffled his hair, kissing his cheek. "I'm sure you will." She might not believe him but it was not right to crush his dreams of finding this mystery person Eren was dreaming about. The dreams had started recently and Eren was convinced that this person called Levi was his one and only true love. She let him believe it. They were only dreams, right? Where was the harm in that?

Couple of years later Eren met Armin. He was a boy who transferred into the same school that Eren went to. Armin was a bookworm and too weak to look up for himself but Eren did his best protecting him. That earned him many lectures from his mother and teachers. Eren and Armin became best friends and would remain so for a long time. He told Armin about his quest for finding Levi and the blond swore to help him.

Eren dreamed of Levi every night when he was nine but as years went on the dreams became less frequent. By the time he was in middle school he came to realize he had forgotten his quest. Other things had taken over his life. He had school obligations to fulfill and his circle of friends grew in leaps. He was well-liked and most of his free time he spent hanging around his friends. It was no wonder he had no time to think about some man who might not even exist.

He was sleeping over at Armin's house when he woke up from a nightmare that he could not remember clearly. He sat up on the bed, his shirt drenched in sweat.

He had woken Armin with his trashing. The blond looked worried. "Eren, what's wrong?"

"I.. I.." Eren swept the sweat off his forehead. "I can't remember his name," his voice cracked as he said it. He knew that man had been in his dream. He had a strong feeling of nostalgia hitting him but he couldn't place any name for the face he kept seeing in his dreams.

Armin pulled his best friend into a hug. "Oh, Eren. It's Levi," he said knowing fully well who Eren was talking about.

"Is it?" Eren asked as he could not be sure. He tasted the name by saying it a few times but it didn't ring any bells. He couldn't remember if it was right or wrong. Nothing but emptiness was left.

Eren cried in Armin's arms, the feeling of losing something so precious was devastating. He found himself unsure if he had ever even knew such a person. Was the man he dreamed about just a figment of his imagination?

Eren soon forgot about the nightmare and the dreams became even more rare. He would wake up at night, knowing he had just dreamed of someone he was supposed to know but could not remember their face anymore. He felt sad every time this happened and could not shake the feeling he should not be forgetting that person.

Eren had gotten into the University he wanted. He had moved to a new city and would be making new friends, life was smiling at him. As he was moving into the apartment he had rented, he stumbled while carrying a box full of china. He heard the plates break as the box hit the ground but to his surprise he did not follow it. Someone had grabbed him just in time to prevent him from falling.

"Be more careful next time, brat," his savior said.

Eren turned to look at the short man who saved him. The guy was grumpy looking with a weird military undercut styled hair.

"I'll try, thanks" Eren choked out, embarrassed to stumble like that.

"Tch." The man walked to the door at the opposite side of Eren's apartment door and left Eren alone in the corridor.

_What a nice neighbor I got_, Eren thought sarcastically. He sighed as he went to pick up the box with broken plates inside. He would need to go buy some new ones. He paused to look at the door of his neighbor. Why had that man looked so familiar? Had they met before? After a moment Eren shook his head. Now was not the time to think about grumpy midgets when he still needed to carry the rest of his stuff up from the car.

* * *

**AN: **This was inspired by my own dreams where I've run into people that I'm supposed to know but for the love of god can't remember their names or anything else about them but still I know I've met them. It's a weird sensation to have.

I'm treating this as a one-shot at the moment but I'm kinda thinking about writing this into a bit longer story, thus turning this into a prologue. I'm entertaining the idea that Levi could be the one who remembers and pursues to win Eren over even if he has forgotten him already. What do you guys think?


	2. Chapter 2

Life had been boring for the better part of Levi's life. Perhaps the reason was him remembering things that other people didn't. His life now was peaceful, maybe too much so. He had no need to risk his life.

Although he had considered joining the army just for the hell of it but then shot down the idea. One life time of trying to protect other people's lives had been enough. One other reason was not to see any of his comrades getting killed. He had had enough of that. So much death. The smell of death some times invaded his dreams.

He tried his best not to consciously think about the memories.

What he did however do was to keep an eye out for any familiar face from his past. He had no such luck yet as to run to anyone he used to know. He did not know if it was a curse or a blessing. Just having one person to talk to about his past would have made things easier. He could not confide in anyone.

They'd think he was crazy.

Perhaps he was.

He had not been sure if any of his memories were real but he wanted to believe they were because of one particular person who invaded his dreams more than others.

And now that person was here.

"You gotta be kidding me," Levi muttered as soon as he closed his front door behind himself. He leaned against it and sighed. He had never thought he would actually run into him. He didn't need to ask for his name, that brat had been no one else but Eren.

Of course he had secretly wished that he would meet him again but he had always accepted the reality that he most probably never did.

But look how twisted fate could be!

Eren was now living across the hall from him, clearly just moving in today too.

Levi didn't think twice before he opened the door again and saw Eren scooping the box off from the floor, assessing the damage.

"Do you need help?" he asked from the young man.

Eren looked surprised, eyeing him suspiciously for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I'd appreciate that."

Levi walked out to the car that he believed to be Eren's as the trunk was open and full of boxes. Levi carefully piled as many as he could on top each other and carried them swiftly into the apartment building, straight into Eren's apartment.

The young man had lifted the box of broken china on the kitchen counter. "This is just great," Eren mumbled.

Levi stopped by the doorway to the little kitchen corner. "What did you break?"

Eren jumped a little at the sudden interest of the other man. "Plates mostly and few mugs. I guess I need to buy some paper plates for a while until I have money to buy some new ones."

Levi saw the defeat on Eren's face. Money was tight for the young man he suspected. "I have a set that I got as a Christmas present few years ago and never even opened it. You can have those if you'd like."

The look of surprise seemed to be constant on Eren's face today. "I possibly couldn't-"

"Just accept the offer. They are taking space in my closet and I don't really need them."

"Okay, thanks," Eren said and finally Levi got to see that gentle smile of his that he really liked.

"I'll get it after we are done with your stuff," Levi said and left to get more stuff out of Eren's car. He had to hand it to the young man, he didn't seem to have that much stuff to begin with. Only thing that was missing was furniture.

"Does your bed come in later?" Levi asked as soon as Eren emerged from the building to help him with the boxes.

"Ah no, I need to buy a new one."

Levi noted that he saw no mattress either. "Where are you going to sleep?"

"Ah, I.." the young man looked embarrassed. "I got a sleeping bag and some blankets and pillows. I'll be fine."

Who was the kid trying to convince with that crap? "You gotta be kidding me," Levi said a second time that day. "Listen kid, if you want, I got a convertible couch in my living room. You are free to borrow it until you get your bed."

"But, I don't want to be a bother," Eren said uncertainly, not knowing how to take this sudden niceness from a man he had never met before but still seemed familiar somehow.

"You are not. We can lift that thing into your apartment for the time being. I'll take it back when you don't need it anymore."

"Ah, okay." Eren scratched the back of his neck.

Levi helped Eren for the next hour or so to get his stuff out of the car and they lifted the small couch from one apartment to the other easily. Levi then went to search for the plates and cups he knew he had in one of the closets.

"Here," he said giving Eren the china set for two.

"Thank you so much.. umm.."

"Levi."

"Thank you again, Levi. You helped me out so much." Eren bowed his head a bit to show his thanks to the man.

"Don't mention it but don't destroy my couch or you'll buy me a new one," Levi said half joking but saw color drain from Eren's face.

"Oh, okay I'll try to be careful."

"I'm just shitting with you. It is an old couch. I don't care if you pissed on it. I can always buy a new one."

Levi turned around to walk back to his own apartment but decided to say one more thing. "If you ever need any help, kid, you know where to find me."

"Yeah, thanks!" Eren called out after him. Eren stared at the closed door of Levi's for a moment. He still could not shake the feeling that he had met that man somewhere before.

Humming to himself Eren retreated into his own apartment which looked like a war zone at the moment but at least he had a soft couch to sleep on. He made a note to pay back this act of kindness to the older man somehow.


	3. Chapter 3

"_Eren."_

"_Eren!"_

Eren woke up trenched in sweat. He was sure he had heard someone calling his name in his dream. That was all he could remember and it took him a while to realize that it _had been_ a dream.

"Levi," he said out loud. That voice had been just like Levi's, the non smiling neighbor.

Why did the name ring some distant bell? Why did Levi seem so familiar? Why was Eren certain that Levi had been the one calling his name in the dream? Why?

Eren pondered these things as he laid on the couch catching his breath after the dream he could not recall.

It was scary. What if Levi being familiar was not a good thing at all?

Eren couldn't remember where the hell he could have ran into the man before. Maybe he should find some things out about the man and he might be able to figure it out?

He surely hoped so. He hated not knowing.

Eren rolled over to reach for his phone to check the time. It was only five am.

He closed his eyes, trying to catch on some more sleep. Three hours later he woke up again but this time without any weird whispers in his ears.

Padding his way to the kitchen, he thought of his neighbor once again when he took one of the new cups from the cupboard. Levi just seemed way too nice for a total stranger. Eren fixed himself a cup of tea while he wondered the possible ways he'd be able to show his appreciation for what Levi had done for him.

Maybe he could try baking cookies that his mother made once in a while but then again cookies probably were not good enough as compensation. He could always try to cook him dinner or two but that didn't sound good enough either.

Eren sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. It was probably best if he just waited for an opportunity to rise when he could return the favour.

As soon as he had a steaming cup of tea, Eren returned to the couch and looked around. He'd need to start unpacking today. He would probably need to move the couch to the bedroom away from the middle of the living room. He didn't even have a television so having the couch in the living room didn't really serve its purpose. He'd have it on use either way so he wouldn't need to make it presentable for anyone if he hid it away.

Eren reached for his phone once again, dialing Armin's number which was one of the few he had memorized in case of an emergency.

Armin picked up after two rings.

"Eren! How on earth are you awake this early?"

"Oh come on, don't sound like it is a bloody miracle," Eren shot back.

Armin laughed lightheartedly. "So how's the moving in going?"

"It's going great. I didn't have that much stuff anyway besides I got help," Eren told him, his mind wandering back to Levi once again. "I got this super nice, maybe too nice, neighbor called Levi."

"Wait. Did you say Levi?" Armin asked in a voice that made Eren pause as well.

"Yeah.." Eren said uncertainly. "Why?"

Armin was silent for a moment. "No reason. What does he look like?"

Eren found the way Armin reacted odd but decided to answer his question anyway. "Umm, he's got black hair and this weird undercut that you don't normally see on older guys and he is shorter than me. I don't know, he gives of this vibe like I've seen him somewhere before?"

"Eren," Armin said as if he was going to tell him something important.

"Yeah?"

"Can I come over tonight?"

"Of course, why do you need to ask? Just forgive me for not cleaning for you. I got boxes everywhere. I need to get unpacking anyways."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. It is no problem."

* * *

Armin arrived to the apartment building in the evening and to his luck he ran into the person he wanted to.

"Levi," Armin called out to the man who was just locking his door.

"Well well, I should have known you two are still best friends, right?"

"Yes sir," Armin said out of habit when seeing the former Captain of his.

Levi didn't like beating around the bushes. "Eren doesn't seem to remember."

Armin offered him a sad smile. "Yeah, he doesn't. He did though."

"Did? What do you mean?"

"When he was younger he talked about you but slowly as time went on he started losing those memories."

Levi didn't know what to say to that. All he knew that there had been a time when Eren had known him. Had it been too much to ask for that Eren would remember? "Everything?" Levi asked quietly. He wasn't sure how much Armin knew about his and Eren's relationship.

Armin shrugged. "He stopped mentioning you, that's all I can say."

Levi let out a heavy breath as the situation looked rather hopeless. He had hoped that Eren was just acting as if he didn't remember. The kid had been giving him lingering looks, though. There might be a small amount of hope if those looks meant anything.

"Thank you for telling me," Levi said and went on about his business as he was running to the super market to get some snacks for later. Maybe he'd buy couple of beers as well after hearing these devastating news.

One thing was sure.

He had a new goal now.

He'd need to make Eren remember.

If he couldn't do that then there was only one option left.

He'd need to win Eren's heart once again.


	4. Chapter 4

Levi started to feel like a stalker. He noticed himself checking if there was any lights on Eren's window each time he came home. He even checked Eren's name just in case on his mailbox. He swore some old lady saw him do that and it made him feel guilty.

It had been a week and Levi rarely saw Eren. The young man probably stayed at home for most of the time and only went out when Levi was at work because Levi didn't see him in the evenings.

This just wouldn't do. How was he supposed to get Eren back if he never saw him? Well okay maybe not seeing Eren for a week was 'never' but if it continued like this then it would be. Waiting around was not what Levi was willing to do. Who knew what kind of skank would try to steal Eren away if he did not sprung into action?

So Levi made plans.

Simple plans.

Such as, inviting Eren to dinner. That was a good start, right?

He needed to be as casual as possible about it too. Levi checked his appearance once in the mirror next to the front door before he opened it and strode across the hall to knock on Eren's.

He heard footsteps coming closer to the door and soon enough Eren wrenched the door open. "Oh, Levi, hi," the young man said, clearly not expecting the older man to be on the other side of the door.

Eren was wearing a hoodie and some loose jeans, making him appear younger than he really was.

"Have you eaten dinner?" Levi blurted out.

"Umm.. not yet, no. Why?"

"I was going to make some lasagna and I always make too much so I was thinking.." Levi resisted the urge to rub the back of his neck. There was no way he'd show any nervous actions in front of the young man. Eren was the only one who made him feel like this. Eren was far too important for him to stay calm. He wanted to shake the young man and tell him to remember so he wouldn't have to go through this.. whatever this was! "That perhaps you'd like to come over for dinner?"

'Umm' seemed to be Eren's favourite expression since that was the young man's first utterance. "Yeah, sure if that's okay?"

"I just invited you. Why wouldn't it be okay?" Levi didn't expect Eren to answer. "Dinner will be ready in an hour," was the last thing he said before he returned to his own apartment.

That could have gone better, Levi knew that much.

Eren on the other hand closed his door slowly as he tried to figure out the reason why he had been invited over. Dinner? Eren had weird feeling each time he saw the older man. Maybe he would get some answers at the dinner.

Armin had been acting oddly when Eren had asked about his interest towards Levi. The blond haired young man had evaded the question completely, derailing the conversation. Something fishy was going on and Eren didn't like it.

Either way, Eren had to be in Levi's apartment in an hour. He could at least put on a clean shirt. The one he was wearing had food stains. He had seen Levi eyeing it with narrowed eyes. That if anything had been a judging look.

To be honest, Eren didn't even know why he cared but he still changed his shirt.

An hour later Eren knocked on Levi's door which was opened twenty seconds later by the older man. Levi had a hand towel over his shoulder and he was wearing a blue apron.

"Come in," Levi said, already walking back to the kitchen. "If you could leave your shoes at the door..."

Eren shut the door, taking his shoes off after receiving that subtle threat that there would be something unpleasant coming his way if he didn't. Not that he had any problem with it. Shoes were just shoes.

The apartment was filled with the delicious scent of lasagna and Eren noticed his mouth watering. He might have been cutting back on food for some weeks now so there had been no real struggle to turn down the offer of free food.

"So you are a student, right?" Levi made his attempt at casual conversation. Maybe there would be something they could find to talk about. Levi didn't really know about Eren's interests yet and they hardly had had any of that sort of talks in the previous life. Personal interests and hobbies had not been the exact priority in anyone's life even though people needed and outlet that didn't really matter in the long run. Lvi never asked what Eren did to make himself forget the horrors that waited for them out in the world.

Levi himself had had Eren and that had been enough for as long as it lasted.

"Yeah," Eren answered taking a seat at the table that had already been set. "I'm majoring in law."

"That suits you," Levi said without thinking. He quickly corrected, "I mean I think it will suit you."

Eren let the odd comment pass.

For now.


	5. Chapter 5

The dinner was excellent and Eren had tried his best to eat at calm pace as if not to show how hungry he truly was. Levi had commented that he should eat more to gain some muscle around his bones.

Eren could not stop thinking that there was something odd about his neighbor. Levi kept talking to him in much more familiar way than he would expect anyone who he had met maybe twice or so before. There was something about him that made Eren just stare at the man.

Finally Eren could not help himself but ask, "Have we met somewhere before?"

Normally one would expect a swift answer or utter confusion from the person who was asked such a thing but Levi just looked back at him calmly.

"Maybe," was Levi's answer.

"Maybe?" Eren inquired. "What do you mean maybe? It's either yes or no." Eren started to consider that maybe he should rush back to his own apartment and never talk to the man again. Who knew what this maybe meant.

"I have a feeling that if I tell you, you won't believe me."

"Try me," Eren challenged.

Levi pondered how on earth did they get to this point and how was he supposed to explain everything to Eren? The young man had no memories so everything he'd say would sound insane. "You would think I'm crazy."

Eren leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "How crazy can it be?" What was Levi saying? What kind of dark secret was he harboring? Eren started to feel like he was living in some sort of bad b-class movie and Levi would turn out to be some psycho after his innards or something?

"Extremely crazy."

Yeah, it started to seem just like that. "What do you mean?"

Levi sighed as he really wanted to tell Eren everything and hope for the best but maybe it was not the right time. "Listen, Eren, I don't think this is the right moment to explain how we met."

"So we have met," Eren insisted on finding out the truth.

"Yes, we have met."

"Now, was that so hard to say, hmm?"

Levi could not help but smile. Eren had spunk, he had to give him that much. "What made you think that we have met before?"

Eren had to give that some thought. He didn't have one answer. "I don't know. You seem familiar and there is something about you that just keeps me wondering why." Eren rubbed his forehead in desperation. "I don't know what it is but there is something about you."

Levi wanted to blurt out the truth that he wanted Eren so desperately to remember. But he would not tell Eren yet. He would give the young man some time and maybe he would remember on his own. "I'll tell you what," Levi said. "Why don't we make this having dinner a regular thing, hmm? Maybe that will help you figure out what it is about me that you can't seem to put your finger on."

"How do I know that you are good guy and not some evil one?"

Levi shook his head as he tried to find the right words. Then, an idea hit him. "You should ask Armin about me. He'll be able to tell you exactly how good of a guy I am."

"Armin?" Eren was confused. Although Armin did seem to know something about Levi. Was there a connection between all three of them? Eren made a mental note to send Armin a message right after he'd leave. "I'll do that."

"Good. So how about it?"

"What?"

"The dinner? Or do you have somewhere else to be every evening?"

Eren hesitated. "No."

"Good. Then every evening at six I'll have something for us to eat if that's okay?"

Eren narrowed his eyes. "Yeah." He pondered what was this older man's deal. "Why are you doing this?"

"I want to get to know you better."

"Just that?"

"Yes, what else would there be?"

Eren looked at the older man with suspicion. "Nothing I guess." Eren was left with more questions than answers after tonight.

Nothing about Levi made sense. The man was too kind even though he didn't look like he would be kind to others. Eren swore he had seen the older man glare at the granny who lived couple of doors down the hall. There was apparent animosity between those two. Something must have happened because that old granny was one of the sweetest old ladies Eren had ever met. What could have Levi possibly done to deserve her wrath?

Levi had been helping him out without asking for anything in return. Eren was not naïve enough to think that he had pure intentions. There had to be some dog buried somewhere for it to make any sense. The worse case scenario that came into Eren's mind was that Levi was a pervert who stalked young men, lured them into his home, locked them in the basement and used them as slaves.

Not that their apartments had basements like that but who knew if Levi had dug one up on his own?

Eren wouldn't put it past him. There had to be something that the older man was hiding from him. Eren was determined to find out and his first course of action was to call his best friend, Armin and interrogate the blond blob head until he caved in, spilling all his secrets about Levi.


	6. Chapter 6

"Armin! You never told me you actually know the guy!" Eren exclaimed into the phone.

"_What guy?" _

So Armin decided to play dumb, eh? "Levi!" Eren shouted but then he realized that the older man might hear his voice. Eren hoped the walls were thick enough. "He said that you know what kind of guy he is," Eren hissed, looking at his front door, fearing that Levi might burst in any moment like a crazy neighbor that Eren believed him to be at this point. "Please tell me he has escaped from some mental hospital and it would be best for me to stay away from him."

Armin chuckled at the other end of the phone. _"What on earth are you going on about, Eren."_

"Levi, that neighbor of mine! He said your name as if he knew you. Armin, I'm going crazy if you don't tell me what is going on."

"_Calm down."_

"I'll calm down when you tell me where do I know that guy from."

"_I think it is his business to tell you."_

"What?" Eren asked utterly confused. "No!" he exclaimed not accepting Armin answer. "No, you tell me who the hell he is right now."

"_Eren, calm down. He is not a bad guy."_

"Then you can tell me where I've met him, right?"

"_Eren,"_ Armin said._ "Take it easy. If he didn't tell you then I cannot either." _

"What the hell are you saying, Armin? Why are you not telling me?"

"_Because you are making a fuss about it. You need to calm down and look at the situation calmly. Levi is not a bad person. You can trust him, Eren." _

"Trust him? " Eren couldn't believe Armin had just said that about a stranger. "You are insane too, aren't you?" Was he in a nightmare or something? Why was no one telling him anything? What could be something that even Armin was not willing to tell him?

"_Eren,"_ Armin's tone became stern._ "You are thinking too much into this. Nothing is going on. Levi is just someone who you've met in the past and I am sure he means no harm. He just wants to be nice," _Armin said, knowing about what Levi had done for Eren on the first day that they had met.

Armin was like a mind reader! Eren started to question his own sanity. What if Armin was a space alien? "Nice!?"

"_Yea, Eren, nice. Has he been anything but nice to you?"_

Eren hummed in annoyance. "No," he had to sheepishly admit that there wasn't anything that he could seriously complain about. Levi had done nothing wrong. Well other than being a bit secretive but that was not against the law. Eren sighed frustrated because he was still not getting any answers. "Armin," he began more calmly than ever at any previous point of the conversation. "Tell me at least why you cannot tell me anything? What is the big secret? Am I supposed to feel scared?"

"No," Armin hurried to say. "You have nothing to be scared about. Levi will tell you on his own pace what you need to know. I suggest you talk to him about it."

"This starts to sound like he is dying and only I can save him but he doesn't know how to ask for help." He heard Armin chuckle at his words.

"Yeah, that might be it."

"Are you serious?" Eren asked just in case that he had finally found out the truth.

"No! Just take it easy. He is just an old acquaintance who probably wants to get to know you after all those years."

"Now, how hard was that to tell me? You should have said that straight from the beginning." Someone he used to know? Really? Who would forget such a grumpy faced man? Eren figured that he must have been very young to run into Levi if he did not remember him at all.

"If you had stopped freaking out after everything I tried to say I might have told you that sooner."

"You are weird, Armin."

"Right back at you." Armin paused before he asked, "Are you going to be fine now?"

"Yeah yeah. I'll talk to that guy and see if he is going to crack under the pressure and spill the beans." Eren nodded to himself determined to get the older man to talk.

"Good luck with that."

And so, the next day Eren made himself battle ready. If he had been a woman he would have worn a push-up bra to bring out his boobs. He might as well put his theory of perverted old men into test and wear a tight shirt that would travel up his body when he stretched and jeans that he knew looked good on him. He did not know if it would be a good thing if Levi fell into his cheap tactic or not.

He'd make that grump talk nonetheless.


	7. Chapter 7

Levi went to open the door when his doorbell rang for the fifth time. "Stop ranging it like there's a fire somewhere, will you?" was what he said before he saw Eren. "Okay," was the first thing he said suddenly unsure of himself as soon as he saw Eren. The young man looked like he had just come from a wrestling match with a sexy hunk and enjoyed it way too much, somehow keeping his clothes on in the process.

Levi eyed him suspiciously. Why was the young man dressed like that? Why was his hair tousled? Did his lips look as if he had just been in the make out session that would rival hurricanes in intensity? Those jeans he was wearing had to be number or two too small for him and unbearably uncomfortable. Not to mention that shirt, Eren's skin peeking under the hem as if teasing everyone around him on purpose.

"Hi," was Eren's reply as the young man leaned on the door frame with his arm.

The tone Eren used, though, was not exactly normal. There was a comical amount of breathlessness to it. Maybe Levi was right and Eren had just shagged someone and that was the reason why he was five minutes late. "You're late."

"Sorry. Something came up."

Oh sure it had. Levi knew exactly what had been up and where. "Get in before someone sees you and mistakes you for a prostitute."

Eren turned red and walked in. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Have you looked in the mirror in the past half an hour?"

"Of course I have."

So it could be that Eren was doing it on purpose for whatever reason that may be. Levi gave him a glare before he walked into the kitchen. "The food is ready so dig in." Levi took a plateful for himself, sitting down as soon as possible.

Eren walked in to the kitchen with a certain slowness to his movements that made him look like a participant in some bad porno movie.

"Are you going to a party later on?" Levi had to ask.

"Why?" the young man asked.

"Have you taken something? Smoked anything?" Who knew what youngsters these days got up to. Levi was only showing his concern.

"No!" the young man denied doing anything such as that. "I don't do drugs. I don't even drink." Eren had drank when he was younger but had stopped when every hangover resulted in a massive headaches accompanied by nightmares of people dying in gruesome ways.

"Bullshit."

"No, it is not," Eren argued as he sat down with a plate of his own filled with food. Levi knew how to cook, he had to give him that. He doubted that Levi would take well his story of seeing people die in his dreams. The older man would be calling the white coats fetch him faster than he'd had time to run to the safety of his own apartment.

"Then what is it with this hooker get up you have on?"

Eren could not believe that was the way Levi saw his clothing. "I am not dressed like a hooker!" Eren's plan was already backfiring. Levi didn't seem to be as lewd as he'd hoped, no matter how wrong it sounded in his head.

"Yeah right. Only thing is missing high heeled shoes and a tacky wig."

"I am not... What does it matter anyway?" The chances to get Levi talking were slipping past his fingers like sand.

"It matters if you are heading out wearing that." All sorts of horror images were flashing through Levi's mind as he thought what exactly might happen to Eren if he fell prey to some pervert.

"It is none of your business."

It was true that it wasn't. Oh, how Levi wished it was, though. "I'm only worried, nothing else." He didn't want to see Eren make stupid mistakes of any kind. Young people were so reckless nowadays.

"No need. I'm not going out nor am I doing drugs. I am not dressed like a hooker either."

"Okay." Levi raised his hands up to signal that he understood.

They ate in not saying a word until Levi broke the silence. "If you ever need a driver, then I'll take you and pick you up at any time of the night."

"I just said-"

"I know. I'm just telling you that you have an option to get home no matter what time of the day it is. Of course if I am at work then I might not be able to come right away but I'll try."

Eren appreciated the thought but he still didn't understand one thing. "Why are you so nice to me? You don't even know me."

"You'd prefer if I was an asshole to you?"

"No, that is not what I mean," Eren hurried to say but saw a smile tugging at Levi's lips. The bastard was just playing with him. "Hmph," Eren huffed, crossing his arms.

"Eat before your dinner gets cold," Levi told him calmly, finishing his own plate.

Eren was still trying to figure out who this guy was? Something seemed so god damn familiar every single time he spoke to him. "I called Armin," Eren said before returning to his dinner that was not going cold as fast as Levi obviously thought. "He was just as evasive as you about this whole 'Eren doesn't remember mister mysterious' thing."

"Really?" Levi asked nonchalantly as he stood up, putting his plate on the counter and then slipped an apron on.

Eren watched the man starting to wash his dishes. Who the hell washed them right away? Eren liked to leave his plate in the kitchen until the evening if he got hungry. It was stupid to wash it right after if he ended up using it again in few hours. Not that he had had that much to eat lately which gave him the excuse to use the same plate for days. "Yes, really," he answered the man. "He even said that you'd tell me in your own time. That sounded like it had been a line from some bad movie."

"What kind of movies are the bad ones?"

Eren was surprised by the question. "What?" When Levi did not elaborate Eren continued, "Well I guess movies where the main character has some problem that has really easy solution but they get sidetracked by some wackos on their way and there has to be a really stupid bad guy whose plan is always doomed to fail just because the main character always turns out to be real smart right at the end."

"So if your life was like that which would I be, a wacko or a bad guy?" Levi asked, turning around as he was drying his glass on a hand towel.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Guess you don't since we just got started," Levi mused out loud as he put the glass into the cupboard above the sink.

Eren finished his dinner before he said, "You seem like a wacko at the moment but you could be the bad guy in disguise."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."


	8. Chapter 8

"So..." Eren said as he stood up from the kitchen table, taking his plate to Levi who was waiting for it, standing by the sink. "The food was excellent by the way," Eren said.

"Thank you."

"I've given it some thought and I do not understand why you can't tell me if it is nothing criminal. You haven't killed anyone have you? At least I can't remember anyone going missing in my past."

"As they say, the murderer always returns to the scene of the crime," Levi said as a joke but the look on Eren's face was of complete horror. "I am joking. I haven't killed anyone."

"Then don't say things like that with a straight face." Eren was mortified that Levi could joke like that.

Eren didn't really know him anymore, that much became clear to Levi in that small exchange of words. "I'll smile next time."

"That would just be even creepier."

"Make up your mind." Levi rubbed Eren's plate with a sponge in circular motions.

Eren watched the man in silence, trying to figure out why his heart was beating inside his chest madly when he stood this close to Levi. Was it out of fear? Or was there something else? He placed a hand on the man's shoulder, startling Levi who looked at him because of the sudden touch.

Levi had not expected Eren to touch him so casually. He looked up to Eren's eyes automatically. Then his eyes fell to Eren's lips for a mere second before he looked away as soon as he realized what he had just done.

Eren had not missed the brief flicker of Levi's eyes down to his lips. That was not a normal thing for anyone to do unless... "Who are you?" Eren asked sounding serious.

Levi wanted Eren to stop touching him. He was not comfortable with touches in general and the hand on his shoulder made him extremely conscious of himself. Eren kept asking about identity every single time they met. He would need to start giving answers to the young man soon. "I'll tell you everything if you remember even a single thing about me." Maybe Levi was filling his own heart with false hope. It might be that the young man would never remember a thing.

"Really?" Eren's voice was full of hope.

"Yes, really. Now stop touching me," Levi tried to shrug Eren's hand off his shoulder.

"Oh sorry," Eren apologized, doing as Levi asked. Maybe he had gotten a bit too bold and managed to make the older man uncomfortable. But he had gotten some sort of promise out of the mysterious man.

Now only if he could remember something about him. It was not going to be an easy task, that he was sure of. Nothing had come to mind even though he had known this man for a while now.

Eren was left without answers once more.

Couple of days later when he arrived for dinner Levi let him in without a word until they were sitting at the dinner table.

"You look nice," was the simple compliment that left Levi's lips.

Eren was taken aback. "What, I don't look like a prostitute this time?"

Levi shook his head. "No, you actually look nice."

Eren felt flattered after Levi delivered the line exactly the same way than he had the first one, with a soft tone that made Eren believe he meant it. "Thanks," he said sheepishly. It was the first time anyone had really complimented him like that without trying to achieve something other than make him feel good. Mostly he had heard anything related to a compliment of that kind when someone wanted something from him.

At least he hoped there was nothing Levi wanted from him. He looked at the man as they ate but Levi seemed to be acting kind of indifferent towards him.

"How's school?"

Eren swallowed the macaroni in his mouth before answering, "It's good. Just a lot of work, more than I'm used to."

"But it is interesting?"

"Yeah."

"Any problems with anything?"

"Not really," Eren said but then remembered that there was something that he had been struggling with in one of his courses.

Levi saw the subtle change in Eren as the young man sighed. "You know I work in a law firm myself so I could possibly help if you have something you don't understand."

"What?" Eren was surprised that Levi shared such information with him. Levi was not keen on talking about himself. That much Eren had noticed. But the man was always ready to help him which Eren could not understand. Why? No matter what Levi said it still seemed odd. Eren could only explain it if they had known each other well but that could not be true, could it?

Whatever the reason, Eren decided he'd leave the matter be for a while. Maybe he was trying too hard to remember and thus not making any progress? Armin was right, he would need to give this time. He needed to relax. He could take care of himself and Armin had told him that Levi was only trying to help.

Thus it came to him as a complete surprise when one day Levi knocked on his door and when Eren opened the door he swore he saw someone else standing there. The flashback was so strong that he completely froze. He could clearly see the picture in his mind.

"Eren?" Levi called out when Eren just stood there, mouth open and staring like he was looking right through Levi. He waved a hand in front of the young man but Eren did not respond. "Eren!" he called out again this time touching Eren by grabbing his shoulders.

"I swear I just saw..." Eren said quietly.

"Talk to me, Eren," Levi demanded worried about the young man.

"I just saw you wearing a brown jacket and a .. a cravat and white pants and some weird straps and you were looking at me with very serious expression. I'm sure you were telling me something that I already knew but I was not willing to admit that it was the truth," Eren rambled.

Levi sighed, pushing the young man into the apartment. "Come and sit down. Let's talk about it."


	9. Chapter 9

Levi had planned on taking it slow. He had planned not to be too aggressive with his approach because there was a chance that he'd scare Eren away with his advances. If this had been like back then, he would have just told the young man straight up what he wanted out of him. He could not do that now. Eren would freak out surely if he informed him that he wanted to have any sort of romantic relationship with him.

Even if there was the one percent chance that Eren was fine with that, even then Levi would have to tread carefully. Eren would probably enter the relationship with wrong assumptions and intentions, not really believing that Levi wanted something lasting and not just whatever it was that young people did these days. He had seen too many TV shows to know that there was a trend of casual relationships going on.

And now Eren had seen something.

Eren had seen a flashback of some sort and was still deeply affected by it. He guided the young man to the couch and sat him down on it. "Tell me everything," he told the young man with a gentle tone.

"You said it was unavoidable," Eren said with a far away look in his eyes.

"What was?" He couldn't know what it was that Eren was talking about just based on something like that. A lot of things had been unavoidable back then.

"That we.. no.." Eren looked pensive.

The young man was quiet for several minutes as he tried to remember the exact thing what he had gotten a glimpse of. It was mostly feelings, thoughts, nothing concrete. As if he had been submerged into cold water suddenly and yanked back just as fast, that was how it had felt. Suddenly everything had been there but he hadn't had the time to grasp everything before it was gone again.

"Eren?" Levi asked when Eren had been quiet for far too long.

"I don't know." Eren leaned forwards, resting his head in his hands. "I had it for a moment and then it just fades away." He felt like he was chasing the end of the rainbow.

"What you said to me that you saw, did really happen."

"What?"

"In another life," Levi said, not expecting Eren to believe him at all. He needed to take the risk of being called insane. It didn't phase him anymore since he knew Eren was there as well, right beside him and Levi knew him. He knew what kind of person the young man was and he'd take his time to prove to Eren that he was not insane if he had to.

Eren snorted, amused by the whole concept but he grew serious again when he noticed how Levi remained as serious as ever. "You are not kidding?"

"No, I'm not."

"So you're saying that we knew each other in past life or something?"

"I cannot be sure exactly how long ago it was and if it was in the past or not because I've not found any evidence that the time period ever existed."

"You actually looked into it? You are_ that_ sure about it?" Was Levi insane? Eren had no doubt about it that the man might be lacking a few screws.

"No, I wasn't until I met you. I've had those memories for a long time and I liked to make myself think that there was a time, a place where they were the truth. Let it be an alternative universe or whatever, I still wanted it to be true even if most of it was horrible."

Eren just looked at him, hesitating over words. What to ask, what not to ask...

"We were in the same military group together," Levi decided to start out vaguely since it was apparent that Eren did not remember any details and explaining it all would take a long time. In the end it might prove to be unnecessary if Eren got his memories back. "You were my subordinate under my personal care. You were somewhat different from the others and needed constant supervision."

"Was there a war?" Eren asked as he let the things that Levi said bounce inside his head, trying to fill the huge gaps that existed.

"Yes."

"That explains the dreams," Eren said, sighing and covering his eyes with his hand. His awful nightmares finally made sense. He was not a crazy as he thought he was. Knowing that made him feel like something was unraveling inside him, making it easier to breath.

"What kind of dreams?" Levi asked even if he could already guess.

"Death. People dying. People that I knew well died." Eren's words were as lost as the young man seemed to be.

"Yes, they did." Levi could imagine what those dreams must have felt like when Eren didn't remember why he was seeing them in the first place. "I have nightmares as well sometimes. I like to tell myself that I've accepted everything that happened and what I did but.." he trailed off and noticed Eren peering at him with gentleness in his eyes that Levi certainly did not need right now. He cleared his throat. "I'll leave you to wrap your head around these thoughts and such." Levi stood up and was making his haste escape when Eren wrapped a hand around his wrist.

"Thank you," the young man uttered and let him go.

Levi walked out of the apartment completely forgetting why he had come over in the first place. He had told Eren enough to make the young man wonder. He was sure Eren would come to him soon enough asking questions. He hadn't want to overload the young man's head with all the details. Eren didn't seem to recall that many things, only that one fragment that had popped into his head and those dreams that he talked about.

It might be just a matter of time before Eren remembered details that could define how their relationship turned out in the end. Levi could only hope that Eren would talk to him about it when he did remember.

Levi chuckled to himself. Of course Eren would talk to him. Hell, the young man would demand to have a conversation, wouldn't he?


	10. Chapter 10

The next day Eren came to dinner normally but the young man was quiet. Levi noticed him playing with his food once in a while, obviously distracted by something. Levi let him mull things over in his head. He knew where Eren's thoughts were so asking was pointless. Hurrying the young man was equally as pointless.

With a quiet good bye the young man left after eating his share of food. There was nothing else Levi could do but wait for Eren to talk to him on his own.

The next day Levi received a text from Eren that he would not be coming to dinner. He didn't even see the young man for two days after that. Levi was getting worried. But it was not really his place to go and demand Eren to talk to him. Although he was tempted to go knocking on his door.

Eren on the other hand had a lot in his mind. On one Saturday morning he was dreaming of sensual touches, lips on his skin and a burning desire overtaking his being. He woke up with a gasp and found his underwear soiled due to a wet dream.

He could clearly remember who it was that he had dreamt of. There was only one pair of eyes matching someone he knew. That someone had been suspiciously nice to him and claimed to know him from a past life or whatever it was that they had shared.

Eren had to ask about it from Levi but he didn't know how. Would he just blurt it out that he suspected they had been a bit more than just comrades? How does one ask if he had been someone's male lover?

Besides Eren couldn't really remember all the details of their relationship. He didn't know what kind of relationship it had been. He could make a fool of himself if he assumed they had been in love or the opposite.

Eren couldn't face Levi until he was sure what it was that was buried in the depth of his mind.

So Eren went out with his friends to a party. He wasn't going to drink, he didn't have the guts to do so. He didn't want any nightmares.

At first he had fun, joking around with people but then when others got drunk the party lost its appeal. Eren felt like an outsider among the happy, carefree people.

He didn't hesitate sending a message to Levi.

_Please, come pick me up._

Levi responded within a minute and Eren shared the address with him. Eren went to wait for him outside. It took less than ten minutes for Levi to arrive. It wasn't necessary for Levi to come but Eren felt the need to get the hell out of the party. The only thing he could think of was that he could ask Levi for help as the man had offered it on several occasions. At that moment Eren was truly grateful to have Levi in his life.

Levi said nothing as Eren climbed into his car. Eren didn't seem to be in talking mood so Levi left him alone.

Eren stared out of the car window as he contemplated what he should do or say. He knew there had been something there between them even if he could only recall his own feelings. He would never be sure what Levi felt and Eren wasn't sure why it mattered what had happened in the past.

He wanted to have something clarity on what was going on right now and not what went on then. That he had come to realize during the evening. For days he had been thinking of nothing but Levi and the dreams had become more or less explicit. So much so that Eren had to do something to put his mind at ease. He needed to know if he still had those feelings towards Levi. He needed confirmation from Levi that they had had such a past.

Levi pulled up at the apartment building a few minutes later and was walking slightly ahead of Eren towards the front doors. "Levi," Eren called out to him and when the older man turned to look at him he continued, "Can I come over right now?"

Those being the first words that Eren had spoken to him in a while how could Levi say no. "Of course you can." He led the young man into his apartment. "I'm sorry but I don't have a couch for you to sleep on. I borrowed it to someone," he said knowing Eren got the lame joke.

Eren was probably insane for doing this but he needed something concrete to know if there was something there that some people would call fate between them. Eren wanted to know if it was real, the things he had felt in his dreams and memories. "Your bed will be fine."

Levi paused after throwing the keys to a bowl on a small drawer he had n the living room for keeping important documents in. He looked at the young man like Eren had grown a second head. It had to be a joke. "Very funny."

"And what if I wasn't joking?" Eren asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Then I'd send you home to clear your head. You drank too much tonight." Levi could only assume Eren had gone off drinking despite him saying he did not drink. That was something Levi had done when he had been overwhelmed with memories at his teenage years. Bad times all over.

"I don't drink. You know that." Eren closed the distance between them. "There is something that has been bothering me."

Levi took an unconscious step backwards. The back of his legs hit the drawer so he leaned against it, trying to look as casual as possible. As if he was intimidated by Eren, never. He just suddenly had the very person of his dreams coming at him with a sort of aggressive way. Eren looked like he was not up for games. "And what is it?"

"The reason why you are going too far with your 'mister nice guy' -act."

"And I've told you several times that I'm only trying to be nice. You don't need to-"

Eren cut him off, "Oh yes I do." Eren looked Levi right in the eye. "You have been hiding something from me all this time and I was right to be worried."

"I have no idea what you are on about," Levi said, keeping his voice even.

Eren decided to cut the chase. "We were more than just friends, am I right?"

Levi looked away, setting his jaw. He had imagined this situation happening in a different way. "What will you do with that information? It was then and this is now."

"So you admit it?"

"Yes." Levi didn't see any way out of it. Especially if Eren remembered it. Why did he have this feeling as if everything was slipping past his fingers. "But you don't need to be afraid-"

Eren cut him off a second time. "You think I'd hate you?"

"You might."

Eren brought his hand up to Levi's cheek. His touch was gentle and Levi hated it how the young man send shivers running on his skin with one simple touch alone. "What are you doing?" Levi asked, ready to swat Eren's hand away.

Eren didn't answer him, not with words at least. In one fast move his hand was behind Levi's head, tilting his head upwards and his lips graced Levi's.


	11. Chapter 11

It took a second for Levi to decide his course of action. He saw no harm in kissing the young man back so he did just that. To him kissing Eren was a long lived dream come true. He had been hoping to be able to do this some day soon but he had a feeling this was just one time off deal.

Eren held his gaze, his fingers gently touching the side of Levi's face. "It's exactly the same," Eren said absentmindedly. "Just like I remembered." The touch of Levi's lips was so familiar that he could swear that he had kissed him every day.

Levi really wanted to kiss him again. That would be too forward of him though. The kiss had been briefer than he hoped but he wasn't gong to press for more. Eren had a lot of things to figure out which Levi was sure of.

Eren was in his own world, faint pieces of memories surfacing but nothing too concrete. He felt as if there were words he was supposed to say but he couldn't quite remember what they were. "I'm sorry," he ended up saying. "I don't know what came over me."

"Nothing to be sorry about. I didn't mind."

Eren blushed as he realized how close he was to a man he didn't really know. Well, he did know him but not really.

And he had just kissed him too.

Eren had done it only to make sure Levi was the one he thought he was. That Levi was the man he had been in love with, shared intimate moments with. All this made Eren realize that Levi most probably remembered everything. It made this situation of his seem unfair. He wanted to remember as soon as possible.

"God, I hate this," Eren hissed, turning around and starting to pace. "I can't remember anything clearly."

"There is no short cut, you know. It's pointless to try force yourself," Levi told him. Levi had been right. Eren had not meant anything with the kiss. It was nothing to get mad about. Levi felt somewhat used but this time the end result might be just what he wanted it to be.

"Can I stay here for the night?" Eren's question sounded eager as if his whole future depended on it.

"I don't have room for you, you know that."

"Then come over to my place? The couch is big enough for both of us."

Eren's way of asking him worried Levi. "What is this sudden pajama party you want to have?"

"I don't know!" Eren exclaimed.

Levi stared at Eren for a while. "Go home, Eren. Get a good night's rest and stop thinking about this whole thing altogether."

"No," the young man declared adamantly. When Levi gave him a stern look the young man swooped in to hug him. "Please let me stay. I'm sorry but let me stay."

Levi sighed as he gave upon hearing the pleading tone of Eren's. "I know what you are thinking and I don't think this will help at all."

"I disagree," Eren said still hugging Levi.

The hug time grew too long, making it awkward. "Eren, let me go."

"Oh, sorry. I forgot you don't like to be touched. I'm so sorry," Eren started to apologize in frantic manner.

"Shut up," Levi ordered him. After taking a deep breath Levi said, "I'll just get some clothes and I'll be right over."

Eren beamed at him. "Thank you."

Levi gave him a pointed look and sighed again before venturing to get a clean pair of underwear, a towel and a shirt. "You won't mind if I use your shower, do you?" Levi asked as soon as he stepped inside Eren's apartment.

"No no, go ahead!" the young man chirped, already changing the sheets on the couch and puffing the pillows.

Levi rolled his eyes and disappeared into the bathroom to perform his night rituals.

Eren was excited and he didn't even know why. He felt giddy and happy. His skin was buzzing pleasantly. He wanted nothing more than fall asleep next to his neighbor, ex-lover or whatever he should call Levi. Eren admitted his request was weird but he really had a good feeling about this. He needed to get closer to Levi and what a better way to start than do so physically.

Eren had no plans on crossing any lines. The kiss had been one of his last measures and it hadn't really given him the desired awakening that he had hoped. Life was not some fairy tale where a kiss would make someone's life suddenly hundred times better and live happily ever after with their kissing partner.

Although that wasn't really what Eren had hoped to achieve. But either way he was now determined to have Levi in his life and figure out exactly what it was that there had been between them. What Eren wanted to also know was that would there be something worth pursuing with Levi. The older man was kind of attractive now that he had given this whole thing some thought. He could see the appeal but Eren had not really considered his sexuality seriously and he was positive he didn't have to.

If he ended up together with Levi then why would he need to fuss about if he liked girls, boys and whatever fell in between? Wasn't it about the person and not their genitals?

Eren shook his head as his mind wandered dangerously to the topic of cocks and if he liked them on someone else. He had just never thought about it. He hadn't had any crisis over these things before and he didn't want to have one now either. Relationships had not been on his mind until now and part of him wanted to think that maybe because of him subconsciously knowing about Levi had had that effect on him. That somehow the ghost of love had been keeping him in check all these years.

Eren quickly dressed down to his underwear and slipped under the covers. There was only one lamp lit by the couch anyway which gave enough light to the room. Eren had picked up any objects lying on the floor so that Levi wouldn't have to worry stepping on anything. Eren had a bad habit of leaving plates and mugs on the floor near the couch when he was feeling too lazy to go to the kitchen.

Few minutes later Levi finally emerged from the bathroom. His hair was a bit damn and Eren could imagine the furious drying he had done.

Levi had not ever expected to sleep on the couch himself and not with someone else on it too. He had bought the couch originally for people who might come over and needed a place to sleep or simply wanted to stay over. Either way now Eren had been using it for quite some time and it looked really cozy with the flower print covers and Eren's head poking from underneath. The young man's hair was a mess already. Levi didn't even know how he managed to do it. Levi's eyes got caught by Eren's which twinkled with happiness that Levi had somehow been able to cause.

This was a sight Levi wanted to see more in the future.


	12. Chapter 12

"Did you brush your teeth?" Levi eyed Eren suspiciously.

"Yep! While you were getting your stuff," Eren said with a smile.

"Don't lie to me. There is no way you had time to do that." Levi settled down on the couch, joining Eren under the covers. Eren had spread blankets as wide as he could to give them both space and enough warmth.

"Let it slide this once? I'm already comfy."

"Don't pat your eyes at me," Levi grunted not pleased with the hygiene level that Eren was okay with. Then again maybe he could cut the kid some slack since it was pretty late in the night and he had no school tomorrow. Did it really matter if he brushed his teeth or not?

Eren laughed lightly. "Pretty please?"

Levi sighed but didn't say anything.

Eren smiled triumphantly, letting out a small 'yay' as a celebration. He knew he was behaving like a small kid but he couldn't care less.

Eren was far more interested in staring at the man who had given into his whim of sleepover. The whole situation felt so much more intimate than anything Eren had experienced so far. He liked how there was no expectation of something other than platonic sleeping ahead and that alone made him relax.

Eren wondered what Levi was thinking about this whole situation. What was it like to have someone you used to know not remember you at all? Eren had hardly given it any thought how Levi must be feeling. Then again Eren did remember some things.

Levi was so close to him that Eren could hear his every breath.

Levi was watching him calmly, tired from the day's activities. "Are you going to sleep or just stare at me all night?" he asked.

Eren blinked and said, "I want to touch you." Then he quickly added with a blush, "I mean just your face or chest or something like that." Eren remembered Levi reluctance for physical contact or dislike of it.

"Go ahead since you asked."

Eren reached to touch Levi's face but hesitated. "Is it really okay?"

"You already kissed me. I think I'll be fine with your hands on my face too."

Snorting Eren let his fingers touch Levi's jaw gently. They were lying so close to each other that Eren could smell the peppermint toothpaste on Levi's breath. He let his hand wander down Levi's neck, to his chest and then back up to his shoulder. "You're really warm."

"No shit," Levi replied with a small smile on his lips. For a moment Levi let the young man touch him freely, and then he himself asked, "Can I touch you too?"

Eren's hand stopped for a moment. "Yeah."

"You could use some more muscle," Levi commented after a while when he touched Eren's arm. Levi was worried about how much Eren was eating but maybe now he was fixing the problem with feeding Eren almost every day. The young man could be so reckless at times.

"I'm fine," Eren scoffed. "I do eat." Eren's thumb swept across Levi's bottom lip.

"I know."

Eren smiled.

"I like it when you smile," Levi said as he touched Eren's lips in return. He moved his head a bit closer to Eren's.

"Thanks. I like it when you smile too." Eren was liking this. Them touching each other gently, not aiming for anything sexual.

Not until Levi asked, "Can I kiss you?"

A new blush appeared on Eren's face. This situation now was a lot more intimate than the one when they kissed before. "Yeah." Eren knew that a kiss didn't have to be a sexual thing but the first thing that appeared in Eren's mind was hot make out sessions which would lead to sex. Thus, he was somewhat nervous.

It was weird how kissing Levi was a new thing and a familiar at the same time. How the shape of his mouth was something Eren knew so well, yet this was the second time he was lip locked with Levi.

The kiss was unhurried. Levi kept his hand on Eren's hip for the first half of the make out session. Then he urged Eren closer, deepening the kiss. Not wanting to seem vulgar, Levi kept his hand on Eren's lower back. He wanted to take things further but the thought that Eren still didn't remember everything kept popping in his head. He couldn't push Eren into anything more serious than this.

But as the kiss grew bolder, so did Eren. Or at least Eren's body did which reacted very positively to the kiss. "I could take care of that for you," Levi suggested as it had become apparent that Eren was getting turned on.

"I've never.. I mean I.." Eren rambled as he realized his own condition and that Levi did too. How would he explain it when they had had a relationship and yet they hadn't. Eren didn't like this whole other life thing that messed things up like this.

"I get it," Levi tried to reassure Eren. "It's okay." He would let Eren decide if they'd ever even have that sort of relationship again. "We probably should go to sleep."

"Okay," Eren agreed but he didn't want to move away. He clung to Levi's shirt. "I liked it," he admitted out loud.

"And I noticed, believe me," Levi teased the young man who looked embarrassed.

"I've never really had any sort of thing like this before." Whatever this was.

"Never?" That was hard to believe.

"Only some very superficial short things that can't really be called relationships."

"Ah."

"It always felt like there was someone I should be waiting for and you know, it actually happened."

"This isn't some romance movie, Eren."

"I know but every time someone asked me out it felt wrong to date them. I thought it was me who was the problem and I decided not to pursue any relationships unless I was sure that there was something there between me and them."

"I should probably tell you that I faced something similar when I was younger. I remembered weird things that others didn't and I knew I was gay before I had even tried it out. I knew I would be searching for you, hoping that I'd run into you some day. I was scared to start a relationship with anyone else. I had a feeling that the moment I'm happy with someone else I'd run into you."

"But that didn't happen."

"Indeed. It's probably selfish of me to assume that you'd want a relationship with me now that I finally found you."

Eren looked at him silently for a moment. "I think it goes without saying that I'd at least like to try," he said and earned a genuine smile from the older man.

"Good. Now, goodnight," Levi said, pecking Eren's lips before settling next to Eren, closing his eyes.

"Goodnight," Eren answered, snuggling up to the man he already had fond feelings for.


	13. Chapter 13

Eren decided that waking next to someone was the best thing ever. He snuggled closer to the warm body that was sprawled by his side. Eren would have thought that Levi would sleep neatly on his side or his back but to his surprise the older man had his arms and legs all over the place while he softly snored on his stomach.

Eren didn't mind in the least. He wrapped his arm around Levi's mid section, resting his head against his back, doing his best not to put too much of his weight on the other man.

Eren had a strong nostalgic feeling as he laid there early in the morning, listening to Levi breathing deeply in his sleep.

He couldn't have been more happy that it was the weekend. Eren took the opportunity to touch Levi's hair, running his fingers though the strands. He got to enjoy his fun for a minute or so in peace.

"Stop petting my hair," Levi grunted.

Eren smirked because Levi's voice was too cute not to get amused by it. "I'm not petting it," Eren corrected. "Why do you cut it like this?" Eren asked out of curiosity as Levi still had an undercut.

"Because I like it."

Eren couldn't argue with an answer like that.

Levi reached to catch Eren's arm from his waist, pulling it against his chest instead. He really wanted to turn around and kiss Eren. This seemed the best time to do so but it was better if Levi was still careful around Eren. There was no telling what kind of things Eren remembered and would come to recall. Levi was worried that there might be some things that Eren wouldn't understand if he came to remember them.

"I loved you," Levi said as he kept fiddling with Eren's fingers gently.

"What?" Eren had to ask because he was not sure he had heard it right.

"I said I loved you and I still do. I was too scared to admit it back then. Saying out loud such a thing would have made it more real and I didn't want to think what it would mean if I lost you by letting myself be happy. Something like happiness seemed such a far fetched idea to have in the first place."

Eren listened quietly as the man spoke. Now he had confirmation to how Levi had felt but that was not all the man was about to reveal.

"I might have acted differently if we had been in an exclusive relationship."

Eren was mildly put; shocked. "What does that mean?" he asked as he could not grasp what it was that Levi meant.

"It means that we were not dating but more like fuck buddies as you'd call it nowadays," Levi said carefully. "I am only telling you this in case you remember something about it and you see it fit to come shouting to me that I was cheating on you or some other shit like that."

"So you slept with other people as well?"

"And what would you do if I did?" Levi asked taunting to get an answer out of Eren. He wondered what Eren would say. "Would that change your view of me?" Would he have to explain his reasons behind his reasons for having the freedom to do as he wanted? Eren had consented to such relationship back in those times, knowing fully well that either of them could die at any time.

Levi had sought distraction from Eren. That had been his only reason for starting the sexual relationship between them. Although it had developed into something else entirely, for him at least. He wouldn't tell Eren that he had not actually slept with anyone else. He had thought about it several times but he hadn't needed anything more than Eren.

"Is that what you want now too?"

Eren question was unexpected. Levi finally turned to face the young man. "You think I'd ask you to be my fuck buddy?"

"Well I don't know you well enough to assume anything."

"No, I don't want that sort of relationship," Levi denied the thought vehemently. "I want to do this properly. I want to date you and give you all the happiness you possibly can get."

Eren burst out laughing. "That kind of words don't suit you," he said laughing.

"Tch," Levi scoffed. "You know what I mean and stop laughing."

"But it really doesn't fit you to say that sort of things with a straight face." Eren grinned.

"Hmph, then how am I supposed to say it?"

"That you'll be with me," Eren stated simply.

"I'll be with you," Levi repeated. "For some reason that sounds dirty to me."

Eren blushed. "Not in that way!" What on earth was the older man thinking of at a moment like this? Eren wanted to cover his eyes because of the look in Levi's eyes got intense in a very wrong way.

Levi watched the young man, whose cheeks were tinted red, laugh again. "Damn you are cute," Levi said after Eren seemed to calm down.

"Thanks?" Eren hoped that the topic would be gone now. He was embarrassed enough already.

"But I know that no matter how innocent you look you are far from it."

"Hey!" Eren protested. "I am not some pervert like you."

"Oh really? Then what was the thing poking me last night, hmm? Your cellphone perhaps?"

Eren huffed, not knowing what to say to that. He was bound to say something stupid if he opened his mouth right now.

When Eren didn't answer him Levi sighed softly. "It is good to know you find me attractive at least."

"Of course I do," Eren said before he thought about it. "I mean.. yeah.." Thinking of erections and Levi was not going well for him. Why couldn't they talk about something else?

It was Levi's turn to grin. "Don't hurt yourself with all that thinking. I think I can see steam raising from your head."

"Argh, god, stop."

"I haven't even started yet," Levi said dropping the tone of his voice low, pulling Eren closer as he muzzled his neck.

"Jeez," Eren breathed out but he didn't want to push Levi away.

Levi breathed in the young man's scent that he had longed to be around for so long. "Eren?" he asked softly. "Be mine." He meant it in every single way.

"Okay," the young man replied just as softly.


	14. Chapter 14

Eren found himself humming as he showered. He had invited Levi to take one with him but the man refused him outright saying that Eren was too young to see his dong.

It had been an obvious joke and Eren could only marvel the poker face he had been presented by Levi.

When he came out of the shower he saw Levi cooking breakfast. Eren found it odd.

"Where did you find eggs?" he asked as he peeked at what Levi was cooking.

"I made a short trip to my own fridge," Levi answered.

"Ah." Eren walked to the bedroom to put on some clean clothes.

As he dressed his mind wandered on the recent happenings. So much had happened in the recent months. He had started school, met Levi and befriended him. Now the older man could be called his boyfriend.

The label did scare Eren a bit as did the implications. He did like Levi, hell yes, he did. But he wasn't sure what it all meant. Levi had told him that he had nothing to fear. That didn't mean that Eren wouldn't be scared. Levi had assured him that he wouldn't let Eren go. Levi loved him.

Or so he said. Eren was scared that he would end up hurting Levi in some way because of not remembering things or saying something insensitive. He was scared he would seem too young, too inexperienced. He was scared he would lose Levi's love once the man realized he was not the same Eren he used to know.

Only then did the fears come for what it meant to date Levi. What would his mother say? Eren was afraid to call her. Armin on the other hand would probably be happy which reminded Eren to call the blond young man and tell about this little development. Then again maybe he should keep this a secret from everyone else for a while. He did want to explore what relationship with Levi meant before he went and babble about it to people.

"What are you doing? The food's getting cold," Levi suddenly said from the doorway of the bedroom.

Eren had lost himself in thought completely. "You said you love me."

"Yes?" Levi's tone was wary.

"What if I am not what you think I am?" Eren asked voicing his fears.

Levi took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Eren, you are still the same to me."

"But how?"

"In every way," Levi said it as if it explained everything.

Eren looked at him suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

"For heaven's sake. I've known you long enough to know that. Stop being worried about something you have no control over. I love you and that's that."

"What does that mean?"

Levi sighed again but this time it was a lot shorter. "It means that it is a fact to me. Facts stay facts. Now come and eat your food."

Was it really that easy?

"I'm scared," Eren said out loud as he followed Levi to the kitchen.

"Of what?" Levi poured Eren some juice.

"That I am not enough."

Levi stared at Eren like he had grown a second head. He slammed the juice carton on the table. "What on earth..? I don't know where to begin with that.." he said shaking his head. "Eat," he ordered the young man.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, for heaven's sake. Didn't we talk all through already? You need to stop that apologizing or I'll chuck you on the nose with that." Levi gave a pointed look at the juice carton on the table.

"But I am confused."

"I am not surprised," Levi replied. "Just give it time. We are in no hurry to go anywhere. Realistically speaking our lives won't change that much. You have school to finish so you'll be here for years. We'll see what happens along the road and where we go from there and so on," Levi talked watching as Eren finally ate his breakfast. "And you can forget all about being unworthy or whatever it is. I am not going to give you up for any reason. I have no other expectations than the reality where we are together."

"When you get to my age you'll notice that most things you think are important are superficial in the long run. Our relationship can work if we want it to work. We don't need any guidebook to it. There are no rules what we need to follow to have a successful life together."

"Wow you are talking a lot," Eren commented.

"Well it is necessary to get you to understand things it seems. I'm not exactly a quiet person."

"I know."

"Do you now?" Levi's tone got teasing. "Then you might tell me when I talked to you the most, hmm?"

Eren first didn't think anything by it but then the look on Levi's face gave him a clue what the man meant. Eren blushed. "I do remember some of it, yes."

Levi looked surprised. "Now I want to know all the details."

"I'm trying to eat here!"

"And? I can recall you being very good at-"

"Shhh!" Eren's arms started flailing around in hurry as he tried to make Levi shut up.

Levi chuckled, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Jerk," Eren mumbled.

"Well this jerk is going to take a shower, so eat up," Levi said while getting up.

"You took one last night!" Eren couldn't believe that Levi was seriously going to take another shower.

"One cannot take enough showers."

"Oh come on, once a day is enough." Eren was sure Levi hardly did anything that called for two showers in one day.

"Not with you."

That caught Eren's attention. "What does that mean?"

Levi's gaze scanned Eren from head to toe quickly. "You really ask for it, don't you?"

"Ask for what?"

"The teasing."

Eren gaped at the older man before closing his mouth and looking down at his plate.

Levi asked after a moment of silence, "You don't like it?"

"What?"

Levi took the few steps that separated them. "You don't like the way I talk to you?"

"No, that's not it."

"Then," Levi drawled. "You do like it?" He raised his hand to run it through Eren's hair at the back of his head. Eren's hair was still moist.

Eren shivered.

"It's a shame you already took a shower," Levi said running his fingers down Eren's cheek.

"I asked you but you didn't want to join me." It seemed Levi's mind was changing every so often.

"I tried to protect your chastity."

"And that goal changed?" What an honorable goal it was too.

"I'm reconsidering it." Levi wanted to whisk Eren away and have his way with him. If only things were like they were back then.

Now that caused Eren to gulp.

Levi was lost in memories of how he could make Eren comply, how to seduce the young man. He cleared his throat when he noticed that he had been merely staring at the Eren for a whole minute. "I'm sorry, Eren. I got stuck in the past. I'm going to take that shower now."

Eren watched him go. Eren had wanted to kiss Levi. Something in the older man's eyes was sparking his interest. He felt a tinge in his heart right after Levi went out of sight. He felt as if he should have answered the call he clearly saw briefly in Levi's eyes.


	15. Chapter 15

For the next several weeks Eren found himself spending time with Levi more and more. Dinner's turned into stay overs and stay overs turned into long weekends.

Despite telling Eren that his bed wasn't big enough, Levi let Eren stay over which led to lot of cuddling.

Eren's fears of going too fast with Levi had been silly. Levi made no move to forward their make out sessions to anything further. It meant a lot to Eren. He felt he could trust Levi to respect his choice not to jump into bed with him at the first given chance.

It wasn't about not wanting it. No, Eren did want to take things to the next level but every time he thought he'd take action, he got hesitant. He was sure he'd mess up. Part of him was sure that Levi would reject him if he tried.

Eren sighed. He'd need to talk to Levi. He just needed to figure out what to say or what to do. Levi had been telling him that he had nothing to worry about and that he could talk to him at any time. Even if Levi had made no move to take things further Eren wasn't blind to the want that filled Levi's eye's.

There was still also the issue of his memories being vague. But the intimate ones were resurfacing in his dreams much more now than before. Eren had a theory that the dreams would lessen if he indulged in the real thing. Well it was a theory and not a good reason to seek intimacy. The dreams and memories were bothering him.

He found himself staring at Levi every time he had the chance and imagining all sorts of indecent things when the man was not paying attention to him.

Latest fun he had was when Levi was cooking. Eren thought it would have looked so much better if Levi cooked only in an apron.

So Eren came to the conclusion that there was no other way than just speak his mind. Beating around the bushes was not really Eren's style when it came to something he wanted. Even with all the worrying.

"Levi?" he asked bringing the older man to glance at him over his shoulder. That told him he had his undivided attention even if Levi wasn't looking at him while washing dishes after their dinner that night. Eren took a deep calming breath and said clearly, "I want to have sex with you."

Levi paused for a mere second before continuing the rinsing of the dishes. "Are you sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be sure?"

Levi didn't say anything to that, just kept on washing the cutlery before finishing his task completely.

Why did Eren feel like a kid asking for a Christmas present he might not have a chance of getting?

Levi sat next to Eren at the table, looking at the young man as much seriousness as ever. "How long have we been going out?"

"Two months? I don't know." Eren guessed. He hadn't counted the days. It didn't seem that important to him. He didn't really want to count the days. It made him think of how many days they'd have together and he got sad thinking of such thing.

Levi on the other hand hoped that Eren would have his memories back before they took their relationship to the sexual level. Intimacy was not an issue between them. Levi enjoyed cuddling with Eren, taking care of him in any way the young man needed him to and Levi absolutely loved the sleep next to Eren, waking up to various of things. Such as, Eren touching him innocently, his eyes full of wonder when Levi caught his gaze.

"So tell me of your reasons why you'd want to have sex?"

Eren was confused as to what Levi wanted him to answer. "Because I want to?" he suggested.

A smile flashed on Levi's face but it didn't reach his eyes.

"You are not happy at all. Why?" Eren asked as he had seen that very clearly. Had he been misreading Levi for the past months completely?

"Don't get me wrong, Eren. I am happy that you'd want to get all naked and sweaty with me but..." Levi trailed off as he thought of the best way to explain what he his opinion was. Maybe he was having too high hopes for returning to the old mold that he and Eren had. Their relationship back then had not been lacking in sex but intimacy and right now they had nothing but intimacy.

Levi was scared that things would change once they'd cross the line. What if Eren had changed in that regard and wouldn't find sex as enjoyable as before? Then again, their reasons for sex had been a lot more different than now. There was no desperation for survival and never seeing someone again. Levi himself had always found himself thinking that, _This might be the last time I have him like this._

Of course the same thing could apply right now too but it was much more likely that he'd be seeing Eren tomorrow any way.

"But?" Eren asked since Levi had fallen into silence for far too long.

"I get the feeling that you just want to get it over with."

Eren stared at Levi rendered silent himself this time. He couldn't deny it. It was a huge part of the reason why he wanted to sleep with his boyfriend.

"Of course if that is what you want then I am not objecting it. I only want you to be happy with your decisions. I do not want to jump to bed with you and have you regret it right after for any reason at all."

"It's driving me crazy," Eren finally admitted. "I keep seeing dreams and memories popping up on my mind at the worst possible moments when we are together. I feel like a pervert and I can't control it."

"So what you are trying to say is that something exciting comes to your mind but you don't let yourself act on it?"

"Pretty much."

"Alright. Next time that happens, act on it," Levi told him as if it was that simple. To Levi it was since it seemed that Eren was holding himself back for some reason. Levi had a feeling that Eren was trying to appear honorable or some other shit like that.

"That means a yes?"

Levi hummed. "Yes. It means you have free reins to do whatever you want with me if you feel like it."

Now that was an invitation that Eren would not pass. "I'll think about it," he told the older man.

"Good because I think you are hurrying about it," Levi stated.

Eren looked down at the table surface.

"See? Give yourself some time before thinking of unnecessary things like sex."

How was sex unnecessary? Eren wasn't sure he understood what Levi meant. He found it weird considering their past relationship. Surely it had some sort of meaning if they had had sex in the past? What if Levi didn't want to have such a physical relationship with his after all? Maybe Levi loved to relive the past but not actually go through with the action now? Eren had not forgotten the way Levi didn't like to be touched unless he had permitted it. Countless times Levi had asked him if he had washed his hands or told him not to touch something with his bare hands.

Eren started to have doubts if their relationship would ever get to the point he wanted it to be.

Eren simply needed to find out by trial and error what Levi would permit him to do.


	16. Chapter 16

Eren made preparations. He cleaned his whole apartment until it reeked nothing but fresh lemon scent of the cleaning product he had. He changed the sheets, making the bed with care. He had no intention of sleeping on it until he got Levi on it, naked and moaning his name.

Well maybe the last one was going to end up being only a fantasy for now.

If he managed to make Levi see that he was certain about what he wanted to do and where he wanted their relationship to go.

Eren longed for the physicality that only sex could bring between them. It was completely different thing to touch Levi with sexual intent rather than just hold his hand affectionately.

Eren only had one problem. He didn't know how to approach the subject without making Levi suspicious from the start.

But Eren didn't know that Levi had similar thoughts now that he knew Eren was more than willing to cross the bridge of sex. Levi had noticed himself getting extremely distracted by Eren, his mind wandering on how he wanted to touch the young man in not so innocent way.

He had kept his distance but it seemed he didn't anymore. Still, the last push would have to come from Eren. If or when Eren gave him the green light, he would not hold back.

Thus Levi was happily surprised when the next time he entered Eren's apartment he found it clean.

Suspiciously so.

Levi didn't have to guess why it had been cleaned so well. Eren had even washed the windows! His fridge looked like it had been scrubbed clean too. Levi didn't say anything as he silently inspected the handy work of Eren's with a few glances here and there.

Eren had another surprise for him too. There was a blanket set on the living room floor with a very traditional picnic basket next to it. Eren had threw a few pillows on the ground as well which he had gotten from his mother as a Christmas present last year. So Eren had told Levi and why would the man doubt Eren's explanation?

"What's this?" Levi asked despite the obvious answer.

Eren somewhat fidgeted next to him nervously. "I thought we could enjoy a light dinner like this for a change."

"Don't look at me like I had just said this was a bad idea," Levi stated as he knelt down on the blanket, looking expectantly at Eren. "What do you have in the basket?"

Eren smiled quickly sitting down on the floor as well and opened the basket. "I have some salad, cheese and some wine." Eren put the items on display and Levi reached for the white wine that Eren had take out, pouring them glasses of it. "I also have some olive bread," Eren said taking the bread out. "And last but not the least cherries for desert."

So far the menu seemed wonderful. Levi took a plate that Eren offered him, and filled it with what Eren had gotten them.

"How was school today?" Levi asked between bites.

"Normal." Eren didn't elaborate since nothing that interesting had happened.

"Just normal? No interesting classes or topics?" Levi inquired.

"Not really."

"Sounds boring."

"It was... normal. Not boring nor exciting." Eren didn't know what to say about his day. He had been preoccupied with his plans.

Levi listened carefully to the tones of Eren's voice. He observed the way the young man acted. "You seem nervous today," he commented once it seemed that Eren wouldn't tell him about his day.

"I'm not!"

And as if to prove Levi's words Eren wiped his hands on his jeans with a bit too much force to seem casual.

"What reason do you have to be nervous for?"

"Nothing," Eren said too quickly to fool anyone.

"Mhm." Levi nodded his head and took a sip from his wine glass before setting it down carefully. "I think I know."

"Of course you do."

"Now, Eren-"

Before he could continue the young man cut him off, "Before you go and say that I'm being too hasty I-"

It was Levi's turn to interrupt Eren in return. "Didn't I say yes to anything you want?"

"Anything?"

Eren sounded so hopeful as if he had not believed that Levi would say that. Levi decided to tease the young man a bit. "You have a bad memory or is it too filled with other things to gain new ones? Didn't we have a discussion about this recently?" Levi took the glass that was in Eren's hands, placing it near his own to the side. He lifted the plates to the side as well away from harms way.

"So tell me Eren," Levi continued since the young man seemed a bit tongue tied. "What is it that you had planned for tonight?"

"We still have desert to eat," Eren said nervously.

Levi had planned to jump the young man but the way Eren acted made him think again. "What do you say if we take those cherries and the wine with us to the bedroom and enjoy ourselves in a bit more comfortable setting?"

"Umm.." Eren had no time to say yes or no when Levi was already getting up to his feet and retrieving their glasses.

Levi offered his free hand at Eren. "Come on," he urged the young man gently. "Take the cherries and let's go."

Eren didn't really need to think of whether to take hold of Levi's hand or not. He grasped the cherries and followed Levi into his bedroom.


End file.
